All You Need to Know Before Maldives Resort Stay #3 – First Day of the Stay

In this article, we’ll be writing a detailed stay report to convey the enjoyment of staying at Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives!

Previous articles:

Visit to Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives!

All You Need to Know Before Maldives Resort Stay #2 – Book Your Desired Resort

This time, we visited Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives. Although Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, with its capital from Sri Lanka, may not be familiar to the Japanese, it is a well-known resort brand in the Maldives and Sri Lanka. They manage several 5-star resort hotels in the Maldives.

Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives is located about 70 km south of the capital, Malé, within the Felidhu Atoll. Its distance from the capital area ensures high transparency of the sea, and the surroundings are blessed with an environment where you can hardly see other islands. You can enjoy the beautiful scenery and underwater world typical of a resort in the open sea of the Maldives.

By the way, there are no Japanese staff at Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives, and there are no local staff who speak Japanese. It may feel a bit inconvenient for those not used to traveling abroad, but as a result, there were hardly any Japanese tourists, allowing us to fully enjoy a sense of a different world.

Now, let’s write a report on the first day of our stay along the timeline!

Take a Seaplane to the Resort Island!

This time, we used a seaplane for transportation to the resort island. While a speedboat is cheaper, the experience of flying over the emerald green islands from above in a seaplane is the essence of the journey. The use of a seaplane for travel itself is said to be an experience of its own.

As the experience report on the seaplane is a bit lengthy and voluminous, I’ve summarized it in a separate article. Please read it from the link below!

How to Use Seaplane in Maldives #1 – Tips and Precaution for Your Seaplane Journey to Maldivian Resorts

Orientation at the Lobby Entrance

Upon arriving at the port of the resort island, local staff will greet you shortly. Head straight to the resort lobby entrance, where you’ll receive an orientation while enjoying a welcome drink.

The orientation covers essential rules and information for using the resort, such as details about the reservation plan, dining areas, and bar areas. At Cinnamon Resorts, all explanations were provided in English. For those not comfortable with English, booking a resort with Japanese-speaking staff might be a worry-free choice!

A Drink at the Bar Until Mealtime

Once the orientation is done, leave your luggage, and take a break at the bar area overlooking the pool. Since we arrived at the resort by seaplane in the morning, we had some time before check-in, and there was a gap until lunchtime, so we decided to spend our time at the bar.

As we had booked an all-inclusive plan, all drinks were essentially free! Having a beer in the middle of the day at the resort was exceptional!

Lunch Buffet

When we finished our beer at the bar, we were informed that the lunch set was ready, so we moved to the restaurant. We were impressed by the open and airy restaurant with a panoramic view of the deep blue sea in front of us! We could enjoy our meal while feeling the dry, cool sea breeze brought by the Maldivian sea.

The lunch menu is in buffet style, and the menu changes a bit every day. While there are no prominent local specialties in the Maldives, gourmet enthusiasts from around the world savor buffet menus made from high-quality ingredients imported from various countries.

Regarding the food menu at Maldives resorts, I’ve provided detailed information in a separate article to avoid making this post too lengthy. Feel free to read it here!

Checking into the Room

After having our meal, it was finally time to check into our room. This time, we arranged for the “Sunset Water Bungalow with Jacuzzi” room. As the name suggests, it’s a room where you can enjoy a beautiful sunset, and it comes with a plentiful Jacuzzi!

We chose this room because the area right in front of the room is a drop-off of the house reef. While the beach made of coral reefs is known for being shallow, it abruptly becomes a steep slope beyond a certain point, leading to a rapid increase in water depth. This point is called the drop-off, and the nearby area is an excellent snorkeling spot teeming with many fish!

Conversely, if you prefer a room with a “white beach and a clear sea” that looks picturesque in photos, it’s better to choose a room closer to the shore. The drop-off area has rugged coral reefs and doesn’t offer much photogenic scenery (laughs).

Exploring the Room and Resort

Once you’ve settled your belongings and taken a breath, enjoy the gorgeous room or explore the resort island. There are plenty of things to do. Many resort islands are compact enough to walk around in one lap, so taking a stroll is a good idea.

Additionally, it’s recommended to take plenty of photos while the room is still tidy, especially for women who may want to capture pictures before their skin gets sunburned!

Confirming Reservations at the Dive Center

While taking a stroll, head to the dive center affiliated with the resort. The purpose this time is to confirm the reservation for a test dive to scuba dive locally. We completed on-site personal information registration, consulted with local staff, and arranged equipment rentals. Additionally, upon receiving information about a Shark & Sea Turtle Snorkeling Tour during our stay, we also made a reservation for that.

For details on how to enjoy snorkeling tours, tips and precautions for encountering large marine life, and experience reports, check out the previous articles

Real Turtle Talk with Maldivian Sea Turtles! Let’s join the Turtle Snorkeling Tour! Travel to Maldives

Sharks are not harmful in the Maldives! But take precautions! Let’s join a shark snorkeling tour! Maldives Travel

For those interested in trying water activities such as jet skiing or excursions, it’s a good idea to visit the dive center and discuss the schedule!

* As explained in another article, it’s recommended to make reservations for water activities via email if possible.

Snorkeling in Front of the Room

After returning to the room, it’s time for some serious swimming. Descend the ladder from the room directly into the sea. Wearing a snorkel set and peering into the sea, you’ll be surrounded by dozens or hundreds of fish! If you’re not confident in swimming, it’s fun to simply put your face in the water with a float, and if you’re a good swimmer, swimming with a school of fish is quite enjoyable!

Dinner Time

After a swim, replenish your energy. Although the all-inclusive plan includes a complimentary dinner buffet, we opted for a reservation-only dinner this time. We indulged in a course full of lobster, aptly named “Lobster Dinner,” ranging from appetizers to main dishes.

At Cinnamon Velifushi, reservation-only dinners can be enjoyed at a special dining venue on the beach!

While bathing in the pleasant night breeze from the sea, savoring lobster as planned… except, on this day, we were unfortunately hit by heavy rain and had to be moved to an indoor venue midway (another interesting experience during the journey!).

For reservation-only dinners, it’s necessary to make reservations via email before your visit. Detailed information on this is covered in another article, so feel free to check it out!

How was it?

This time, I shared the experience report of the first day at the Maldives resort! There are plenty of charming events during the actual stay that I couldn’t cover here! If you’re interested, read related articles together!

Booking your stay at Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives through this link is advantageous!